This invention relates to a lighter, particularly a small portable lighter of the type used to light cigarettes, cigars and other small combustible items.
With lighters presently available such as with the prior art lighter hereinafter described it is possible for children to cause the lighter to ignite by operating an ignition device by relatively simple manual manipulation. Such ignition could also occur accidentally when the lighter is contained in a pocket, handbag or similar container. It will of course be apparent that such a situation where the lighter can be ignited by children or accidentally is undesirable and dangerous.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a lighter that will obviate or minimise the foregoing disadvantages in a simple yet effective manner or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Accordingly the invention consists in a lighter including a housing, a gas reservoir in the housing, ignition means including a first manually moveable member and a second independently operable manually moveable member such that when the first member is operated gas is supplied from the gas reservoir and when the second member is operated the ignition means operates, so that both the first manually moveable member and the second manually moveable member must be operated to cause the lighter to ignite.
Preferably said first manually moveable member or said second manually moveable member comprises a cap and the other manually moveable member is slideable inwardly with respect to the cap and housing.
Preferably the second manually moveable member rotates about a pivot point within the housing and the first manually moveable member moves in an in and out motion within a channel in the second manually moveable member.
Preferably the second manually moveable member comprises an upper part and a lower part wherein the upper part is a cap and the lower part is a pivoted stem mounted in the housing.
Preferably the cap is hollow.
Preferably further including a lever which when operated by the first manually moveable member allows gas to be supplied to a nozzle and wherein biasing means are provided to bias the first manually moveable member to a position whereby the first manually moveable member does not contact the lever.
Preferably the biasing means comprise a spring.
Preferably the spring is a compression spring.
Preferably the stem mounts a pressure member which in use bears on the ignition means, the pressure member having an aperture therein through which a part of the first manually moveable member passes.
To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.